Claire Saffitz named these her “forever” brownies because it took so much work to get them right that she’s vowed to never develop another brownie recipe again. (Selfishly, we hope that conviction doesn’t hold.) One of the hardest aspects to nail was the chewy-and-fudgy texture, which she eventually achieved by chilling the baked brownies in the fridge for at least an hour. Sprinkle flaky salt on top of the batter prior to baking if you’re a salty dessert person.
Recipe information
Total Time
1 hour, plus time to cool and 1 hour for chilling
Yield
Makes 16
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Preheat the oven and prepare the pan: Arrange an oven rack in the center position and preheat the oven to 350°F. Line an 8 × 8-inch pan with 2 sheets of foil, crossing one over the other and pressing the foil into the corners and up the sides. Lightly butter the foil and set aside.
Step 2
Bloom the cocoa: In a large heatproof bowl, whisk the cocoa powder and ¼ cup boiling water (4 oz / 113g) until smooth (this will bring out the flavor of the cocoa).
Step 3
Melt the chocolate, butter, and oil: Add the semisweet chocolate, butter, and oil to the bowl with the cocoa mixture and set it over a medium saucepan filled with about 1 inch of simmering (not boiling) water (make sure the bottom of the bowl isn’t touching the water). Warm the mixture gently, stirring occasionally, until the chocolate and butter are melted and the mixture is smooth. Remove the bowl from the heat and let cool until lukewarm.
Step 4
Add the sugars and egg: Whisk the granulated and brown sugars into the chocolate mixture. It will look grainy and you might see some of the fat start to separate from the rest of the mixture, which is normal. Add the whole egg, egg yolks, and vanilla and whisk vigorously until the mixture comes back together and looks very thick, smooth, and glossy.
Step 5
Add the dry ingredients: Add the flour, malted milk powder (if using), and salt and whisk slowly until everything is combined, then whisk more vigorously until the batter is very thick, a full 45 seconds.
Step 6
Fold in the chocolate and bake: Add the milk chocolate to the batter and fold with a flexible spatula to distribute. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan, spreading in an even layer all the way to the corners.
Step 7
Bake the brownies until the surface is shiny and puffed and the center is dry to the touch but still soft when pressed, 25 to 30 minutes.
Step 8
Cool, chill, and cut: Allow the brownies to cool in the pan until they are no longer hot, about 1 hour, then refrigerate until the bottom of the pan feels cold, about 1 hour longer (this results in a chewier texture). Use the ends of the foil to lift the brownies out of the pan and transfer to a cutting board. Slice the brownies into 16 squares.
If you don’t have an 8 x 8-inch pan, double the recipe and bake these in a 13 × 9-inch. If doubling the recipe makes more than you need, freeze the rest!
Leave a Review
Reviews (36)
Back to TopI used a 9x9 pan and baked for 38 minutes based on the comments below, otherwise I made this true to the recipe. The edges were burnt to the point of inedible and the middle was too fudgey. These are very sweet. I am in search of a basic brownie that can stand alone without frosting. This could work without the addition of the milk chocolate at the end. These are similar in taste to the brownies my mom has made all my life; I believe she uses the recipe off the Hershey cocoa box. (They are good, but not crave-able.) This was too labor intensive for me. I have a wonderful fudgey brownie recipe with a layer of french butter cream followed by a layer a ganache and that recipe is as easy as this. I will continue my search for a basic, craveable brownie or re-work this recipe.
kd
Cincinnati, OH
10/9/2023
25 minute baking time is a joke. I took these out at 32 mins and let them cool completely and they were still raw (and ruined since I had let them cool) after 32 mins at 350°. Super upsetting to waste all the ingredients for a lousy bake time.
Ac
5/14/2023
I made these for the second time today. The first time I had trouble getting them off the foil. Today I only used one sheet of foil and greased it very generously with melted butter. I had no trouble peeling the foil off. I cooked them for 30 minutes, but will probably do 31 or 32 minutes next time. They are definitely worth all the steps to make them.
Jacqui B
Hudson, NH
8/28/2022
These were deliciously fudgy. I added a teensy bit more malted milk (25 grams instead of 18) and left out the milk chocolate chunks as I like pure smooth brownie texture uninterrupted by chocolate chunks. It needed about an extra 10 minutes of baking time (40 minutes) as the middle was still liquid at 30 (you really need to wait for the middle to kind of puff up and start cracking). So good. The foil was a little annoying as it kept on sticking to the brownie when I was cutting it, I’m wondering if using parchment paper would make a difference to the way it cooks. It doesn’t taste super malted or anything but I think it helps add more depth. I might try adding some instant coffee next time
Sophie
Australia
3/18/2022
I have made these twice now and I love the flavor and texture of the edge brownies that were cooked. I have read through the other reviews and I completely agree that the cook time is not right. Tonight I tried 33 minutes and the inside was raw again. I'm wondering if the tinfoil lining the pan is causing it? I will try them again without the tinfoil and a generously greased pan. I did use 1/4 of water for the cocoa each time so I know that is not the issue.
Gringa_roja
Reading, MA
1/12/2022
These are amazing and could be my new favorite brownies! I did end up having to bake them longer than specified, but I followed the instructions to wait for the surface to start to puff. The texture is the perfect amount of fudgy for me.
jellly
Ohio
8/20/2021
This was my first time making brownies and I can honestly say they are delicious. If I bought these in a shop I would have been very happy with the purchase! I made them exactly as the recipe states without the malted milk powder as I couldn’t find it. Baked for 30 minutes in a metal pan. Rested and chilled for one hour each before slicing in. Deliciously fudgy with great texture due to the milk chocolate pieces.
ameliac604
Victoria, Canada
8/2/2021
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